Is Footwashing in the New Testament a Command or Just Symbolic?
1) Direct Answer
It is a command to be practiced by believers. It is not merely symbolic, though it carries a spiritual meaning. Footwashing is a New Testament ordinance tied to the Lord’s Supper.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Jesus said, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet… I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you… If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:14–15, 17).
- He explained the spiritual meaning—cleansing in our daily walk—yet still told them to do it (John 13:8–10).
- The early church continued it: a faithful widow is described as one who “washed the saints’ feet” (1 Timothy 5:10).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Jesus didn’t say, “Think about what I did,” but, “Do as I have done to you.” That’s a command.
- If it were only cultural, the Holy Spirit would not have stamped it in the church record as a mark of faithful service (1 Timothy 5:10).
- Like water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, it is both meaningful and to be literally observed. The act expresses humility, fellowship, and the reminder that the Lord keeps us clean in our daily walk—but He still told us to do it.
4) Reinforcing Statement
Now notice, the Bible ties blessing to obedience: “Happy are ye if ye do them.” So we keep it because the Lord said so. It’s not three ideas or traditions—it’s one simple command: wash one another’s feet.
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What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Israel and the Church: Israel in the homeland
53-0329 §27
Tonight, the nations are becoming brassy; symbol, judgment near at hand. I believe we're living in the closing out of the world's history. I believe that divine judgment is upon the nations, and God has permitted these things. Because we neglected Christ, that's the reason Communism swept the lands. We've taken thousands of hogs and killed them, and burned them up out here on the prairies. We couldn't walk the straight, narrow path. We brought back whiskey and beer. We've burnt up the wheat, turned it under. Throwe...
Time of decision
59-0418 §17
And then the time came that she had to make a decision. He gave her bracelets, and so forth, and told her the story. Now look. The only thing that she had was the story of Abraham's servant. So just ... faith cometh by hearing. She heard that Abraham had a son that was heir to all things that Abraham had. And these little tokens was just a little bitty thing, just a little symbol of the great wealth that Abraham had, that his son was going to fall heir to all of it. And she believed the story. And the father and th...
God's Servant Job
55-0223 §6
And before we do that, I believe this is a fresh box of handkerchiefs here to be prayed over, if I happen to forget them. Just now, shall we bow our heads just a moment in a word of prayer, while you join with me in prayer. Our heavenly Father, Thou who knowest even the death of the sparrow. One could not fall unless Your great Spirit, so sensitive to everything, that even the little, insignificant bird might fall to the street, Father knows all about it. How much more do You know that we, Your children, redeemed b...
The great servant Moses
55-0122 §34
What is the rocks. The rocks has been washed by the same waters, watered by the Word. They have to cry out. Said, "If they hold their peace, the rocks will immediately cry out." Something had to take place. The rocks. Notice. Later on, when they needed some water, only thing they had to do, was speak to the rock. One day they were hungry, and they went hunting, and they found in this cleft, in the rock, was honey--hanging in the cleft. The cleft is, in symbol, was the spear mark in the side of the Lord Jesus. The c...
God's Provided Way
53-0513 §39
God provided an ark for the saving of the household of Noah and his family. God prepared twelve stones by Elijah, one time, for the reserving of the children of Israel. God has always made a provided way. When they was in the wilderness and the first thing you know, sin set in. Now watch! Here's one for the unbeliever. When they begin to chide against Moses and they sinned, God told Moses to lift up a brass serpent. We had time to go in details to see what that serpent meant, what the brass divine judgment, what th...